title : Top Movies - Midnight Special Movie Review (Spoiler Free) - Movie Reviews Sites
Link : Top Movies - Midnight Special Movie Review (Spoiler Free) - Movie Reviews Sites
Top Movies - Midnight Special Movie Review (Spoiler Free) - Movie Reviews Sites
article2016 Reviews, articleFilm Favourites,Nichols creates an extraordinary looking and very Spielberg-ess low budget mystery-thriller.
Genre: Mystery, Sci-fi, ThrillerDirector: Jeff Nichols
Cast: Michael Shannon, Jaeden Lieberher, Joel Edgerton,
Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver and Sam Shepard.
Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver and Sam Shepard.
Run Time: 111 min.
US Release: 18 March 2016
UK Release: 08 April 2016
German Release: 18 February 2016
Midnight Special is Jeff Nichols’ fourth film (Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter & Mud) and his first studio production. A mystery sci-fi, this movie took a lot of inspiration from Spielberg classics such as E.T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, serving us with a beautiful looking and intense low budget picture that not only opened up my mind but also my heart. The end will surely displease some and it is not without faults, but it was nevertheless a damn good film!
The synopsis to the plot can be summarised in just a couple of words: A father (Shannon) goes on the run with his child (Lieberher), who harbours special abilities, while being hunted by a religious cult and the U.S. government. At their side and helping them get to safety are Roy’s ex-wife (Dunst) and his childhood friend (Edgerton). That is all I will say about the plot, because I think its best the audience experiences this film without knowing to much of the story.
First and foremost, this is a father & son road trip movie; a little bit like Road to Perdition but with a slow, unfolding paranormal conspiracy theory note. It also has something subliminally spooky about it, which will make for a lot of hairs to stand up and some goose bumps, that is enhanced by the fact that most of the story is shrouded in mystery, similar to Close Encounters.
Midnight Special is a slow paced mystery-thriller that throws the viewer right into the middle of an escape story without any further information; the only exposition we get is during the opening scene when a news story about an abduction is running on TV. Further information is at first detained from the audience but is slowly unfolded the further the movie progresses. We don’t even get to know what year it plays in for most of its length, as its focus lies rather on the characters than its surroundings. The first clue we obtain in terms of a date is when the characters get into a classic 1972 Chevy Chevelle and along the way slowly upgrade their cars to more modern ones, which gives it a sense of time travelling adventure.
Midnight Special tackles the subject of parental instinct, to keep one's child safe from harm and focuses mostly on the father figure. It also has a subliminal message about faith, whether you see the boy as a religious saviour, a higher being (in scientific terms) or a weapon that could be a threat to national security. Many will be upset with the conclusion, because it did not answer all questions but I was more than happy with how it ended, because it left those open questions to be answered by the viewer's imagination.
The only complaint I had with Nichols new picture is about the religious cult subplot, which was never really picked up after introducing it. Some of the followers appear on screen every now and then, but there is no real sense of danger.
Michael Shannon’s rendition is what gives this movie a huge amount of momentum and drives the plot forward. He gives his character Roy an incredible human twist, as a father who will stop at nothing to protect his son. Roy's relationship with Alton seems broken as he acts cold and distanced from him, but it is only to secure his safety because behind that chilling facade is a living breathing being whose only faith lies in the existence of his son. It has been long since I have seen an actor project such clarity and focus.
Lieberher gave a fantastic performance, as the eight-year-old Alton Meyer. The boy is at first a little introverted and shy, but starts opening up and being more self-confident the further the plot progresses. This is because Alton’s fate is bound to the story of this smaller budget film.
Kirsten Dunst plays Alton's mother Sarah, but is not introduced until halfway through the movie and had just a minor role. The attention is set on the boy and his father, but that doesn’t mean Dunst's character shouldn't have been fleshed out a little better, because her character does add a lot to the story. Adam Driver, playing the sympathetic and charismatic NSA agent Paul Sevier, was another actor who did not get the well deserved screen time.
On the other hand, Edgerton gave another jaw dropping rendition as Roy’s childhood friend Lucas and nailed a superb Texan accent. Given his character's past and the fact that he is a good-hearted man ready to die or kill, to keep the boy from harm way, gives Alton’s safety and existence a lot of weight.
Adam Stone took care of Midnight Special’s cinematography. It is shot fairly simple but is effective in what it needs to transmit, especially during the opening act. A lot of hard close-ups have been used, which conveys a sense of paranoia and a feeling of claustrophobia inside buildings or vehicles; since everything feels so closed-up. While the film plays mostly in the dark, it sets up a beautiful contrast between night and day. The special effects look very organic, especially Allton's powers and the sequences where a meteor shower hits a Gas station.
Verdict: I left the theatre in awe after having witnessed what Nichols was able to with a little more budget and a studio backing. Midnight Special is a properly crafted, well-acted and beautifully looking sci-fi mystery with an incredible Michael Shannon as lead actor. The story has a few minor flaws and the ending might disappoint others, but all this is forgiven as the rest of the movie is spectacularly good. I will give Midnight Special a 9 out of 10 and truly recommend you to go see this fantastic mystery-thriller in cinemas.Did you find my review helpful? If so, hit the like button and share this review with others. Also, leave a comment in the section below if you have any questions about Midnight Special. Thank you very much for reading and know that I will be posting two reviews tomorrow for Zoolanderand Zoolander 2.
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